Next Trends In Smart Technology

Smart technology has paved its way into various aspects of our daily living. The technology is being put to test by hotels as well as holiday companies all over the world. The main goal being to enhance the entire travelling experience.

According to Kevin May of travel tech website Tnooz, “Travellers are getting smarter in the way they search, book and experience travel. In previous years, travel companies often seemed scared of their customers being armed with self-gained information and expertise, mostly gleaned from the web – but over time this has helped them refine and improve their products and services.”

The Best Western chain of hotels recently displayed the latest “Li-Fi” technology. Even though a data stream through light in the visual spectrum may not yet be commercially available, hotels are pioneering the new-tech travel charge.

As Denise Bartlett of the hotel search engine Trivago elaborates, there has been a rise in the number of smart hotels making their way into the market during the last year in comparison to the increasing number of design-led, high rise hotels in China to hotel chains in the US.

Arrive is yet again a boutique property located in Palm Springs and is owned by Facebook millionaire Ezra Callahan. The hotel is going to commence operations by January end. All the rooms of the hotel is going to be fitted with Netflix and Hulu streaming facilities. The guests can use their smartphones to check into the hotel and also use it as room keys.

Callahan asserted that he doesn’t feel the hotel is hi-tech as “We believe we’re innovative, but that has to do with our overall approach to the guest experience and is not something that’s rooted in anything technological.”

Madrid’s NH Collection Eurobuilding hotel is another hotel that makes use of the 3D holographic technology. The hotel contains four “Living Lab” rooms which permit visitors to get a feel of the latest in-room technology. It is the first hotel of its kind that can project life-size holographic 3D images of people to talk to live irrespective of where they are.

Marriot is also not far behind in the race. The hotel chain has carried out a test of its ‘VRoom Service’ in two of its properties, New York as well as London. This permits guests to order in-room virtual experiences via Samsung Gear VR headsets. Airlines too have joined the race. Qantas uses the same technology on its flights and airport lounges and Air New Zealand is testing its hands with the virtual world at the Auckland Museum’s Future of Flying exhibition.

Thomson Airways is in the process of equipping its 2,600 cabin crew with iPads linking its staff members in destination resorts. This means that fliers can avail resort recommendations while in the air.